Before next week’s crucial play-off series Galway United’s SSE Airtricity League first division campaign concludes with a fixture against Cork City at Turners Cross tomorrow (7.45pm ).
Wilson Waweru’s eighth goal of the campaign ensured United defeated Bray Wanderers at Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday.
Conor McCormack’s cute through ball enabled the promising Waweru to score the winner in front of another passionate crowd at the Corribside venue.
“The players love it, you can see how they respond to it,” United head coach Lisa Fallon says about the appreciative audience. “Even when you hear the roar of the crowd in the last few minutes of the game when there is a break on.
“You just feel the game again, it is really hard to explain to people what it was like. It was almost like a training match, that edge was gone from it. Having the fans back makes such a difference, you don't just play the game or coach the game or whatever.
“You actually feel the game, that is a big difference, just to have that energy back. It is something we want to keep going and hopefully the crowds will continue to come and get bigger.”
Fallon was encouraged with how United overcame Bray following a tight and tense encounter. “We knew it was going to be a battle, as it turned out it was a real, real proper battle,” she adds.
“You have to win games in different ways in this league: that is what it is about. That is the first time we got a win against Bray this season, it was important for us to do that to keep the momentum going.
“A few lads got game minutes, that is what is really important now. Obviously our focus now will be going into the play-offs, getting the team prepared for that. It was a great game to get in an unbelievable atmosphere, I have to say the atmosphere was absolutely brilliant. I really enjoyed it.”
While John Caulfield’s outfit collided with Bray, UCD were involved in a tussle against Treaty United meaning all four play-off teams were pitted against one another at the weekend. “It is quite unusual the way it worked out, but I think it is really important that all season our mantra has been the next game,” Fallon says.
“You prepare for your next game. I think it is really important at this stage of the season to do that, to keep that focus so that you are focused on the right things. It is important to keep the momentum going, to make sure all of the lads get the minutes that they need, that we have the team ready to be going for Wednesday.”
Four victories on the spin ensures United have acquired momentum with Fallon satisfied with the consistent levels being delivered by the squad.
“That is what we said at the start, it does take time to build,” she replies. “You have to be patient, particularly with a brand new group adjusting to the full time training, they are adjusting to the way that we want them to play. We have to get them fit enough to play the way we want them to play.
“So there is a lot of work that goes into those type of performances. It takes a lot of commitment from the lads because full time football is a whole lifestyle change, you have to live this career. It does take that little bit of time for that adjustment. I think the fact that we didn't have fans in at that early stage of the season, it makes such a difference.
“The atmosphere is unreal, that makes a big difference. It probably took us a little bit longer to find that consistency we had originally hoped for.
“You have to stick to the process, to be patient with the players, help them, keep nurturing the standards we want to play at. I think we have had much better consistency and the important thing is we keep driving that on.”
**Listen to the full interview with Galway United head coach Lisa Fallon on this week's 'Cian On Sport' podcast available on Soundcloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
